There are few men for listening to the answer of this question
and none to answer it save Santanu's son, Bhishma, firmly wedded to truth
and having all his senses under control. O thou that art highly blessed
reflect upon it and discourse to me on it!'
"Bhishma said, 'O Yudhishthira, this question is certainly worthy of
thee. Its answer is fraught with great happiness. Listen to me, O son, as
I declare to thee, O Bharata, all the duties generally known that should
be practised in seasons of distress. A foe becomes a friend and a friend
also becomes a foe. The course of human actions, through the combination
of circumstances, becomes very uncertain. As regards, therefore, what
should be done and what should not, it is necessary that paying heed to
the requirements of time and place, one should either trust one's foes or
make war. One should, even exerting, one's self to one's best, make
friends with men of intelligence and knowledge that desire one's welfare.
One should make peace with even one's foes, when, O Bharata, one's life
cannot otherwise be saved. That foolish man who never makes peace with
foes, never succeeds in winning any gain or acquiring any of those fruits
for which others endeavour. He again who makes peace with foes and
quarrels with even friends after a full consideration of circumstances,
succeeds in obtaining great fruits. In this connection is cited the old
story of the discourse between a cat and a mouse at the foot of a banian.
Pages:
1543
1544
1545
1546
1547
1548
1549
1550
1551
1552
1553
1554
1555
1556
1557
1558
1559
1560
1561
1562
1563
1564
1565
1566
1567